Slicing apparatus



July 2, 1935. Al LEO SLICING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1955 /JTVE Patented `Iuly 2, y193.5 i

- UNITED vSTATES PATENT [OFFICE:

2,006,643; j sucING APPARATUS v i Albert Leo, Chicago, Ill. Application February 15, 1933, serial-Nq; 656,812 Y p scams; (cruscn 4 'invention relates to Yan `apparatus for AiA-speciilc object of this invention is toy provide slicing lor cutting materials such as food stuffs, an apparatus for slicing materials, fed by gravity for example cheese, butter, ground meats in from along ltubular receptacle, by means of a molded form, jelly products and the like. slidable knife lcooperating at thebase of the tube 5 `More specically, this invention relates to an to Yeut the-material from thetube into slices of 5- apparatus ior slicing materials which have 'been uniform thickness. A either molded in a receptacle, or 'inserted therein, Other and further objects of this invention willV to produce slicesof uniform size and thickness. be apparent yfrom thejdisclosures in the specifi# While my apparatus Vin adapted :for the slicing cation and the accompanying drawing. fg' Of-many materials, particularly foodstuffs such This inventionv (in a preferred form) is 'illus- 10 as cheese, -`but-ter, hamburger in molded form, trated in the drawing andhereinafter more fully any substance-of a solid or semi-solid nature' described. 1 which can be molded, it will be specifically 0n the drawing: Y described, for the'purpose ofjsimplifying the dis- Figure l yis a top plan-view `o1 a tubular 1'5" closure* inthe slicing of a material which may receptacle mounted inl'a base for receiving ma-` 15 bef-'poured -i'nto a receptacle and Vallovved to set terials which, when set, are to be sliced, therein toferrn a jcll. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken sub- As described in my copending application stantially along the line II-II `of Fig. 1. Serla1No.,656,8l-1, iiledo! even date herewith, it Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly in 2b* has 4been customaryvheretoiore to mold jelly .in cross-section, vshowing Athe slicing mechanism 20 individual forms of the desired ultimate size and vand. manner in which the Vertical `receptacle is shapethereby necessitating the utilization and mounted therein. handling of many individual molds and trays.' Figu1e4 Vis a cross-sectional view taken sub'- -my present 4invention I `may use a long stantially along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

vertical tubular receptacle having any desired Figure 5 isa detail view taken substantially 25 crossl sectional `shape and provided withjsmooth along the line Y--V of Fig. 3. inner walls te initially mold the jelly-like sub- Figure 6 is a planview ofafdie for inserting stance. The solution of the ingredients for the at the base o! the receptacle to 'dice/,the ma jelly preparation may be introduced .into the terials being passed through the receptacle.

36? tubular receptacle and allowed to setthercin to As shown on the drawing:

produce ajelly-like-substance or the 'liquidin- In Fig. 1, the reference numeral l0 indicates gredients of-1the jelly preparation may be introgenerally the base for mounting a vlong vertical duced intoA the receptacle and an agent then tubular receptacle 2D'to seal the bottom thereof added lto `cause the mass to set.v The jelly-dike and to support it in vertical position. Q vThe base substance in the receptacle is slida'ble ktherein Hi comprises a center portion ll of substantially 3'51 becauseuof thelsniooth walled surfaces lprovided e'ircularshape for forming the bottom of theA withinrthe receptacle.- The tubular receptacle tube and has a plurality `of legs i2 extending may ythen be inverted and placed over the euttherefrom to prevent the receptacle 20 from ting-apparatus and asthe mass slides out of the being tipped.

45 receptacle it is-sliced into .the desired form. A vflanged ycircular 'member i3 is riveted to 40- ItA Ais therefore an object of this invention to the portion H of the base I0 by meansof rivets provide a slicing apparatus for the preparation I4, A(Fig. 2). of uniform slices having aepredetermined shape liin annular gasket l5 is provided Vin the base and .thickness-without requiring the use of indiof the member I3 for sealing the open vend .of

4:59' vdual forms. .e Y

l It is a further object of this invention to vpro The receptacle 20 is `provided at one end videv aV slicing lapparatus for the preparation of thereof 'withV a metallic ring member 21 rigidly' jelly-like productshaving a uniform predetersecured thereto."V The ringjmember V2| has` semined `Siae and 'shape cut from a larger mass curedftherenigone or more pin members 22 for the tubular receptacle 2B therein. 45'

5h" without thcuse of individual molds and dies. engaging in bayonet lslots I6 yin the iiange of 50T .Another object of this invention is to provide' the circular `member i3 to rigidly secure the a slicing apparatus for extruding materials yfrom receptacle '20 in the base I0.

aflar'ge mold through mechanism for directly e receptacle 20 rmly'twisted into-thief subdividing the large mold into the desired shape bayonet slots I6 to tightly engage its lower edge liliv and Y with the gasket l5.

bottom edge is now at the top. A plunger 24 (Fig. 3) may be inserted in the receptacle 20 Vto loosen the jell from the side walls and cause it to drop by gravity into the slicing machine'.

As shown in Fig. 3, the slicing apparatus comprises a base 3U.having a vertical post 3| mounted thereon for receiving, in screwfthread relation, a cap 32 to which is .secured a horizontal arm 33. e The arm 33 is slidable'in a groove 34 in the cap 32 andis fastened in po-` sition by means of screws such as 35.

The arm 33 is provided with recessedgrooves in whicha thin metallic` platef31 isvslidable. Spacer plates 36 are Vmounted .on the arm I33 above the grooves therein thereby.V forming a topv for the Vgrooves and providing a'track for the Jplate'31.` The'plate 31`ha`sfa hole 36 therein which is somewhat larger than the open endsofthe receptacle 20 and which may be brought intoalignment with the receptacle as will be more fully hereinafter described.

.A top plate 40 provided. with recessed grooves similar fto the grooves in the arm33- and is mounted onV the spacer plates ,36 and secured thereon by means of wingboltsllI.'A 'I "lfie` grooves in the top plate, 40 provide a passageway for a knife or plate 42 having a cutting edge. Y. Y

The plates 31 and 42 are'secured toa'push rod 43 having a handle 44 at the end y. thereof for manually actuating the apparatus.

The top plate 40 is provided with an annular collaror neckV portion '45. vfor snugly receiving the 'tubular receptacle 20. Asy shown in Figs, .3 and .4, an opening 46 is provided through .the plate 40 so that irlaterials slidingout. of the .receptacle 20`may` contact the knifer 42 when it is in the position Vshown inmthese iigureS, 0r. may contact the plate" 31A when the plunger arm V43 is pulledoutpreparatory .toVr cutting another slice of the material..

The bottom'of the knife.42 is preferably pro-' vided with runnersl.48 todisengagethe slices from the knife edge. i Y

`The slicing operation Vmay be briefly defined as follows. f v V.

.With the plunger arm 43 in extended position, material .within .the vertical receptacle 2 0 falls Vby gravity or by mechanical force.. exerted by the plunger` 2 4; onto the` plate -31. VThe plunger arm 43 is then" forced inwardly by pushingon thehandle 44, thereby forcing,V thefknife 42 through Vthe material to cut' the. slice therefrom, while, at the Sametime,v moving the plate 31 so thatv the hole 38 vtherein is brought into alignment with theopening46 in the topV plate.

When the knife edge reaChQS the position shown in Fig. Y3,-fa slice having the thickness of ethe spacer plate 36 isdisengagedfrom the knife Y by the runners 48 and allowed to. drop through the hole 38 into: a receptacle.. Theplunger. arm is next extended by pullingnon thehandle 4.4,

thereby again;withdrawingthe` knife 42 from;V

contact'with the material in the receptacle. 20. and allowing the material to drop` down onto the plate 31. f-

Itis evident that these operations prequel?.

slices of uniform thickness dened by the thickness of the spacer plate 36. The thickness of the slice may be regulated by replacing ythe spacer plates 36 with plates having the desired thickness and inserting spacers between the plates 31 and-42 and the plunger 43 so that the Acrossknife blades secured to a ring 52 for mounting within the neck 45 of the top'plate 40. 'Y vThe material, such as jelly,-in the receptacle 2 0 is extruded through the screen.v andlthen s'lic'ed to form cubesgor blocks .of the y.desired size.

It is evident vthat my apparatus is excellently adapted' to Athe cutting and slicing of materials which Vbecause` of their semi-solid nature are difficult to cut to accurate sizes, or shapes. The apparatus is simple in construction vand does notrequire'. skill for itsoperation. 'Y It is .obvious that the handoperated' means 4 4y may .be Vreplaced by motor driven meansfmerely by conmeeting the. plunger arm 43 witha reciprocating arm, driven byy a motor. yThe apparatus described can bef-used-inhome, in .restaurant kitchensand the like places, for slicing'indivldal portions `0I, IOQd stuffs s'uch as jel1iesor;|ams. .'1'hevapparatus is of `great usevin bakery shops fordecorating pastryfwith preformed jelly. preparations and mayfbe used in', candy factories for the preparation'offgum drops and die like. apparat alsov may be coin-actuatedto dispense diced candies-as suggested for the appa-j ratus in fmy application ASerial No. 656,811 referred tabove. y f1 IIn the 'caseof hainburg'er.-y the meatmay vbe first Aenclosed inV a casing 'of V a. size ami-shape suitable for insertion. into a vmachineof myin-f. vention. Slices of hamburger of uniform and .weightrpaytaus be mainly dispensed. "similarly, cheese 1may be `accuraluely sliced .togivej uniform sized pieces. Where the .cheese is moldeddirectly inthe-tin foil to -a rectangular Shape, a larly shaped tubey 20 may be." used in place of a cylindrical one.

f *I* am awarethat manychanges and numerous details .of constructionmay lbe varied through a wide range without departing.

n principles of thisfinvention, and I,

granted hereon `otherwise thanlsynecassitated by theprior .v 1 IcIaim as my invention:

Apparatusof theclass described comprising an open-ended verticalv receptacle,l a'fpair of spaced plates slidably vmounted forv `move, ment across the lower open end of. said recep-H may bel made.:

therefore, do not purpose limiting.. the patent;

tacle, said plates having openings out of ,align-` v ment. with each otherl and adapted to succes-A sively, register with. the lower open end of said receptacle, said. upper plate having a knifeedge positioned slightly in 1advanceof the edge'of the opening in said lower plate during the ,Guttinstroka means. on theunder `side .0.1. l

said upper plate in back of said knifeedge forj.

freeing material cut thereby from said under side, and stationary vertical cutting members in the bottom portion of said receptacle coacting with said knife edge to dice semi-solid material contained in said receptacle.

2. A slicing apparatus which comprises, in combination, a standard, a guide plate secured thereto and extending therefrom, a plate slidable over said guide plate and having an opening therein, a spacer plate over said slidable plate, a knife slidable over said spacer plate and extending over the opening in said slidable plate, a vertical receptacle above said knife for feeding material to be sliced thereto, means for actuating said knife and slidable plate, and means for permitting the replacement of the spacer plate to vary the thickness of the slice.

3. A slicing apparatus comprising a standard having a horizontally extending supporting arm, a plate slidable over said arm, said plate having an aperture cut therethrough, spacer means above said slidable plate, a second horizontally slidable plate above said spacer means having a knife edge extending partly over the aperture in the lower plate, a cover over said second plate having a vertically extending boss defining an aperture in said cover, an elongated tubular member in said boss, manually adjustable means for holding said plates in operative relation, said means adapted to be readily loosened for replacement of spacer means between the plates to vary the thickness of the slice, and means for reciprocating said plates.

4. A slicing apparatus including in combination, a receptacle for material to be sliced, an

arm supporting said receptacle and having anv opening in it in register with the receptacle, a. plate slidable along said arm and having an opening in it and adapted to expose and cover said arm opening, a knife blade slidably supported by said arm and disposed above said plate in vertically spaced relation,V means for supporting said plate and blade in vertically spaced relation, said means being replaceable to vary the vertical spacing of said blade with respect to said plate, means connecting said plate and blade together for isimultaneous movement along said arm, and means for reciprocating said plate and blade along said arm and with respect to said rst mentioned means.

5. A slicing apparatus including in combination, a receptacle for material to be sliced, a knife blade movable across the lower end of said receptacle for slicing the material therein, a plate separable from and movable with said blade for supporting the column of material in the receptacle for slicing, means vertically spacing said blade and plate and being replaceable to vary such vertical spacing as desired, and means for actuating said plate and blade `for slicing purposes, said plate and blade when actuated being movable with respect to the means vertically spacing said plate and blade.

ALBERT LEO. 

